Balance of Power
by DarkAssasin666
Summary: Alternative version of no.6. Harry discovers more about his destiny, the world and himself. Things that could never have possibly have happened, could they? How does opening his eyes help him to defeat volde? DM/Hr/OC RW/HG. Low rating for now. R&R please
1. Dudley gets a shock

**Summary: Alternative version of the 6th book. Harry discovers more about his destiny, the world and himself. He remembers things that could never have possibly have happened, could they? How does opening his eyes help him to defeat volde? DM/Harry/OC RW/HG. Some slash later on. Lowish rating for now but will probably increase in later chapters. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry potter they are the property of JK, I only wish I did.**

**A/N: This is my first fanfic so be nice. It's mainly an adventure story with some romance set before and completely ignoring half blood price as I didn't like it. It's basically what could of happened instead but then twisted in my insane brain. Enjoy!**

Harry stared at the ceiling letting his mind wander, trying not to think of Sirius. A feeling of, he didn't know, surrounded him. It felt as though something had just happened and was rippling towards him, pulling him to the window. He searched, looking frantically out of the window for the source the pull, but saw nothing but a boy across the road picking his nose. Disappointed, he flopped on to his bed and drifted into sleep.

Screaming.

Blood.

Sirius being pulled away.

Harry standing alone in a wasteland surrounded by darkness.

This is the way all his dreams had become since coming back from the Department of Mysteries. They all ended with him yelling and waking up drenched in sweat. This time was no different.

After waking up with a particularly sharp jolt, Harry wandered downstairs to dinner were he mused that he might still be having a nightmare as the Dursleys were there and unfortunately still capable of movement, but in Dudley's case only just.

"Sorry Dudders, but you can't have a car for your birthday it's just too expensive," pleaded Petunia, hoping he wasn't going to throw tantrum.

"But I want it! I want it! I want it!" Dudley screeched.

"Look I'll give you a choice, you can have the car, or you can have all of the other presents you wanted and still get presents on the rest of your birthdays. We just can't afford it any other way," Vernon said desperately.

Miffed with this choice Dudley waddled past Harry at a pace he could only assume was supposed to have been quickly. With Dudley gone there was enough room for Harry to sit down and help him self to the bacon and toast. Uncle Vernon now sat tight lipped and staring at Harry, who pretended not to notice. Finally it got too much for him just to pretend he was fascinated with the saltshaker and queried why he was paying more attention to him than usual.

"Because you're up to something, talking at night 'apparently' to yourself and you sneak around the house trying not to be noticed. Something is up, I can smell it."

"Then I guess I should go take a shower, as for the 'sneaking around' if walking quietly is a crime then librarians should be shot."

"Don't be cheeky with me boy!"

"I'll say what I damn well like or I guess I could just send an owl to Mad Eye to see if he still thinks his dustbins are out to get him, he could easily mistake you for one," Harry said fiercely. Vernon went to open his mouth but yelling drowned out his words. Dudley came peeling out of the dining room; Harry would have bet this was the first bit of exercise he'd done all year.

"MONSTER!! IN THE DRAWER!!"

"This is your doing, Potter!" roared Vernon.

"I have nothing to do with this!" he argued, then rounded on Dudley. "What did you see?"

"It shook when I got near it," Dudley whined.

"Rubbish! There is no such thing as monsters. I know I'll prove it to you. Let's go and have a look." Harry could have contradicted Uncle Vernon by recounting all the creatures he had faced and learnt about in his Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons, but thought talking about the magical world wasn't the best way to convince him this wasn't a prank.

When they had all filed into the dining room Vernon prodded the phantom drawer and retreated when it shook violently. Harry had a nasty feeling he knew what was in there.

"Well no use just standing here, it's probably a rat or somethin'. Let's get it out and then we can go back to breakfast without any more nonsense. Boy, open the draw and grab it."

"What? Oh all right," Harry went towards the drawer reluctantly with his hand clasped firmly on his wand inside his pocket preparing himself for what was to come. He opened the drawer and a dark hooded head rose out of the depths. It was a Dementor.

"Oh my God!" Petunia squeaked before tripping and falling backwards.

Being prepared for this Harry whipped out his wand and said, "Ridiculous!"

Immediately the Dementor fell over wearing a pink fluffy gown. Harry burst out laughing and quickly muttered that the Dursleys should do the same. Uncertain, they obeyed pathetically. While it was still recovering Harry told them to imagine their worst fear and make it funny. Outraged at being given orders by his nephew, that magic and been performed and that he was supposed to do something he disapproved of, Vernon opened his mouth to argue.

"If you want to live do what I say!" Harry boomed before he could speak.

It was Vernon's turn now and it changed into a dentist. With a quick flick of his wand he was covered in bubble wrap. At the sight of this the Dursleys and Harry chuckled. Then it rounded on to Petunia and turned into Harry's dead looking parents. Petunia started chanting,

"You're a not real, you're a flowerpot, no, I've got it, you're a" Harry performed the spell and they turned into clowns, not very amusing clowns but a clowns none the less. A ripple of fake laughter echoed through the room.

The Bogart now at Dudley's feet transformed into, into, Harry didn't know what. It looked humanoid but it had black markings on what he assumed was pale skin, long black fingernails, long greasy black hair covering its face at the centre of which were bright red eyes. A dark glow surrounded it. It was wearing an armoured corset and skirt and metal bracelets that resembled manacles on its wrists, arms and ankles. Flowing from all of these was black cloth that Harry could have sworn was liquid. Some connected to other parts of the outfit loosely whereas some just tailed behind when it moved. The outfit was intricately decorated and didn't look confining, but it did look very creepy.

Recovering from the shock of what he saw, Harry told Dudley he had to imagine it was amusing in someway and then said the incantation. In a blink of an eye the creature was dressed in a rabbit costume with a squeaky rubber carrot. They all laughed hysterically and the creature vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Where did it go? And what was that?" enquired Petunia.

"It was a Bogart and we killed it," answered Harry.

"Good, now look you, I want you out of my house now! You know you're not to do or say anything magical in my house. Now out!" dictated Vernon.

Harry tried to argue that he had just saved their lives but found he wasn't going to win and this, in his eyes, was a reward. So he went upstairs to his room and packed, quickly sending a note to the Weasleys telling them what had happened.

He dragged his trunk downstairs and out of the door where he took out his wand and signalled for the Knight Bus. When it arrived with a giant roar, he boarded and asked to be taken to the area in which Grimmauld Place was (obviously not saying Grimmauld Place) and then flopped onto one of the beds.


	2. Arriving at Grimmauld Place

This is my first fanfic so be nice

When he got off at his stop he waited till the bus had disappeared and then marched up to the door, which had materialized and walked in, remembering that he shouldn't knock unless he wanted to set off Mrs Black. Quietly he shut the door behind him leaving his trunk in the hall and proceeded into the lounge where Mad Eye was hunched over a Rubix cube.

"Hard those aren't they?" Harry commented.

"Arrrhhhh!! Potter? What the hell are you doing here?" he yelled, surprised.

"I was kicked out of Private Drive again and, wait a minute, how come your eye didn't see me coming?"

"I was using it to see if there was any trickery inside this thing," Mad Eye said, smiling, just as Lupin and some of the rest of the Order came flying in through the door from the Kitchen with their wands out.

"Mad Eye what's going on? We heard you yell. Harry?"

"Yep. Are you going to shoot me?" Harry said, eyeing their wands.

"No," Lupin said as they shamefully put them away and the rest of the Order went back to the kitchen. "What are you doing here?"

"Is it wrong for me to want to see my friends?"

"No, and you didn't answer my question".

So Harry told them the story of what had happened with the Bogart and how he had been kicked out." So I came here and that's about it."

"And you haven't received an owl from the Ministry? That's probably because you publicly shamed them and it was in self-defence. Now then as for you staying here…"

"Please don't kick me out too."

"I think it's best if you stay somewhere where there's someone who could look after you and be there most of the time. Like the Weasleys."

"Oh knock it off Lupin, he's a big boy he can take care of himself. As he has demonstrated," Mad Eye said, giving Harry a wink. "Anyway you can't kick him out. Technically it should be the other way around."

"What do you mean?" asked Harry,

"Well when," Moody clear his throat uncomfortably, "Sirius died, you kinda, inherited everythin'. Including the house."

"What? Everything's mine?" He stood there taking in what he had just heard. Harry was overjoyed at the fact that he now had somewhere he could go for sure every summer, but this freedom made him feel guilty, as it had come at the cost of Sirius's life.

"Well in that case I'm off to bed. See you in the morning." Harry stated, walking back to the hallway.

"Harry wait! I'll contact the Weasleys and see if they can come back to stay here sooner than they'd planned," Lupin said.

"Do what you like. Goodnight." And with that he strode off into the hallway and took his trunk up to the room he had occupied the previous year. With relief, he went to sleep, even if the bed was covered in dust.

Harry was shaken awake the next morning by a big orange blur.

"Harry wake up!"

"Get off! Err. Ron what the hell?" exclaimed Harry.

"We just arrived. I got your note. Those gits were bang out of order!"

"Where have you been? I thought you were staying here for safety."

"Well we were, but dad had to hold a meeting with some colleagues at home and Percy wanted to see us, so we all went. He apologised to us for being a git and mum and dad have forgiven him for that but they don't trust him yet. So don't mention him alright? We also went because there's safety in numbers, being home sick and so he didn't arouse suspicion by the house looking like it hadn't been lived in for a while," Ron explained. "So, do you want some breakfast? Mum sent me up here to ask you."

"Sure"

They went down to the kitchen where Mrs Weasley was poring over a letter. They helped themselves to the food on the table while Ron asked, "Who's the letter from?"

"It's from the twins. Apparently business is booming and we should go see for ourselves. Well I'm glad the're doing well, but that's no excuse to leave school early. By the way, your exam results arrived a minute ago. They're on the table there. Well don't just stare at them. Open them!" Commanded Mrs Weasley, who was now very excited. Gingerly, Harry passed Ron his letter and Mrs Weasley watched while they opened them.

_Mr Potter,_

_Congratulations! Your exam results are as follows. Please note that a guideline and a form for your chosen NEWTs are enclosed._

_Transfiguration O Charms O_

_Defence Against the Dark Arts O Potions O_

_Astrology A Care of Magical Creature O_

_History of Magic A Herbology O_

_Divination O_

"Wow I even got an Outstanding in Divination. How did you do?"

"Oh I did fine," Ron said uncomfortably. "Let mum have a look she's dying to know."

So Harry passed Mrs Wealsey the results, and when she had read it she let out a scream.

"Harry I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks Mrs Weasley. Ron do you feel like going to visit Fred and George to celebrate?"

"Yeah, sure, why not!" answered Ron. "I can send an owl to Hermione to meet us there."


	3. To Digon alley!

After finishing breakfast they took the floo network to Diagon Alley, and then went directly to where the twins had said their shop was located

After finishing breakfast they took the floo network to Diagon Alley, and then went directly to where the twins had said their shop was located. They hadn't been exaggerating when they said that business was booming. The place was filled with people. Harry and Ron would have had a hard time finding them if they didn't stand out so much. They were wearing bright green dragon hide jackets and trousers and of course their bright orange hair just added to the effect.

"Harry, Ron come behind the counter. Hermione's already back here," yelled one of the twins over the top the customers. When they got closer they spotted a tall, long, brown-haired girl serving a customer. Following their gaze George answered, "That's Gabrielle, she's an employee and, erm, my girlfriend." At this last comment Ron burst into snorts of laughter.

"Oh very mature, Ron," Hermione sarcastically said, appearing behind him. Ron tried to reply but his giggles were incapacitating him.

"I'm afraid I can't just stand around here watching Ron imitating a hyena, we're very busy," George snapped, and then turned to Harry and pleaded," Harry how would like to work here over the summer? You wouldn't be an employee you would be a partner and we need the help."

"Erm, ok, I guess"

"Good, your fame may just bring us more customers. Now go and help Gabrielle with the customers and we'll talk more later." With that George swept over to the backroom to help his twin to bring out more merchandise

Harry did as he was told, and went over and introduced himself to Gabrielle, leaving Ron with a disgusted looking Hermione. When Gabrielle heard who he was she looked gob-smacked, Harry by this time in his life was used to this reaction and so pretended not to notice. After she had recovered her speech she took him through what he had to do.

While helping, Harry heard comments like: "this'll show those idiots"; "Fudge won't know what hit him" and "this'll knock sense into the Ministry." All these gave him pretty good idea who the pranks were intended for and why.

After a couple of hours the amount of people thinned and Harry was able to go and talk to George.

"I see it's slowed down. It always does around lunch. I forgot to ask you before, what do you think?" George said indicating the shop.

"I think it's brilliant! Say have you seen Hermione and Ron?"

"Yeah, they're in the back, talking. Tell you what. You go see if you can help that girl and then you can go to lunch with them."

"Thanks." Harry replied. He turned around and his eyes fell on a girl with waist long dark brown hair, who was wearing black cords, a blue off the shoulder top and a necklace with a small, silver, star surrounded by a circle with symbols on it.

"Hi. Can I help you?" asked Harry.

"I was looking for something in the large scale mayhem area. I heard about those fireworks that just keep going, but I can't seem to find them," she replied.

"I think they're over here." Harry led her over to them. "This one has them in as well as other tools for chaos."

"That one looks good; I'll probably send one of them to Fudge for being such a prat. Why he couldn't just believe you is beyond me. Yes I know who you are, "she said in reply to Harry opening his mouth. "I just thought it a bit pathetic to stare."

"Well as you know my name, it's only fair I know yours," he enquired, while staring into her dark, almond eyes.

"Aveva. Aveva Nightshade," she replied, smiling. "Say, do you want to hang out and take the piss out of Fudge? We could go get some lunch?"

"Yeah sure!" Harry rushed excitedly. It then dawned on him that he should hang out with Hermione and Ron. "But I'm supposed to be getting lunch with my friend. Why don't you come with us?"

"OK. The more the merrier."

"Great. I'll just go get them." He went to fetch them but when he told them what was going on Hermione raised her eyebrow, but didn't comment.

They spent the next hour in a cosy café, just round the corner, eating ice creams. While Ron and Hermione argued over anything and everything under the sun, Harry and Aveva, in quieter voices discussed everything from Fudge being a prat to pranks they had pulled. Harry found her fascinating. He felt himself being drawn to her. So much so that when she asked him to tell her what had happened in the graveyard he did so without hesitation.

"And you saw the people he'd killed? Including your parents?" Aveva repeated,"Serves him right. I can't think of a more unnerving sight. When you kill someone you intend for them to stay dead, not come back and haunt him. That should give him something to think about. Sooner or later the universe is going to balance itself out. And when it does Voldermort will get back what he's done, threefold."

At the mention of his name Hermione and Ron stopped fighting and stared at Aveva. Even Harry was mildly shocked.

"You said his name," Ron said shyly.

"Yeah so? I don't see why I shouldn't. It's not like if I say it three times he's going to appear. I'd be pretty gutted if he did thou." Aveva replied coolly. At this last comment everybody laughed. "Anyway, I don't care for tip-toeing around a subject, you obviously don't either."

"What do you mean we don't?" Ron said curiously.

"Well you argue like an old married couple. How long have you two been dating?"

"What? We're not… We're just." Ron stammered defensively.

"Oh, there's no need to be shy about it, I can see how you two feel about each other just from the way you look at each other."

"Look I wouldn't date Ron if was the last man on Earth. There's just no way," Hermione countered.

"Why, what's wrong with him?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with me?" Ron replied.

"Oh, don't start that Ron. Don't you see that she's just winding you up? And you're giving her a good show." Hermione snapped hotly. At this Aveva started clapping.

"Bravo. Bravo. But in all seriousness I do think you two should go out. You'd make a lovely couple," Aveva said smoothly.

"No. Anyway I sort of have someone already."

"Who?" Everyone enquired.

"Krum." Hermione said flatly.

"But lives in Russia or somewhere and is a complete idiot." Ron said viciously. Before Hermione could reply, Harry decided to nip this argument in the bud:

"You, know I should get back to the shop. Coming?"

"Yes." Hermione said quickly and before anyone else could reply tore off at a pace that made it difficult for the others to keep up. When they arrived Hermione headed straight for the back room and Ron pursued her. Fearing this was going to get violent Aveva and Harry followed. When inside Aveva pulled him behind one of the boxes and whispered, "we should just let them get it out, but hang back just in case." Harry nodded and turned to watch them.

"…I can't believe your thinking of dating that twerp. I mean come on!" Ron yelled.

"Well he's got more brains than _some _people!" Hermione replied equally as loud.

"He tried to kill Harry! You deserve better than him!"

"Why the hell do you care so damn much?"

"Because? Because…" Lost for words Ron bent down and put his mouth on hers, passionately kissing her. The startled Hermione hesitated for a moment and then started kissing him back.

Startled by this development, Harry accidentally knocked off a small box on one of the shelves, but the sound went unnoticed. Automatically Harry reached out to clean it up, but Aveva grabbed his arm and hissed that he would only make more noise and that was advisable to leave them to it. Just as they were leaving Harry glimpsed them, still joined at the lips, making their way over to an old dinning table at the back of the room. Ron picked Hermione up, sat her on the table and then proceeded to kissing her neck and running his hand up her leg as they gradually lay down.

When he had safely shut the door behind him, Harry turned to Aveva in a state of shock and said, "Well I never expected that to happen."

"I did. But not to that degree." Aveva admitted, then seeing Harry's face added "Look, I can see this is a shock for you. Get back to work; keep your mind off it. I'll sit over there next to the counter, in the seat for recovering samplers of some faked illness sweet. Ok?"

Thankful for the suggestion Harry nodded and went to help Gabrielle behind the counter.


	4. As the dungbomb smoke clears

After finishing breakfast they took the floo network to Diagon Alley, and then went directly to where the twins had said their shop was located

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while and so short. Work is taking over my life, I'm going on holiday and I'm a bit of a perfectionist nut so I prefer to sparsely update descent chapter than frequent naff ones. **

**Another thing I feel I should make you wonderful readers aware of is that there won't be any Draco and Harry scenes (of the wink wink nudge nudge kind) for a while as I don't think it would be believable if they suddenly got together but don't worry it will happen, just gradually, it is all planned (in my head anyway). So enjoy!**

After ten minutes of helping customers Gabrielle said, "I think we could do with some more of those swamp thingies. I'll go get some from the back."

"Noo" Harry and Aveva yelled at such a volume that made Gabrielle and half a dozen customers stare at them. Quickly coming up with an excuse Harry added, "A ton of Dragon Dung stink bombs went off. You'll have to wait for the smell to clear up if you want to live."

Satisfied with this excuse Gabrielle went back to tending to the customers. Relieved, Harry turned and looked at Aveva and received and approving wink.

After walking around the shop and helping vindictive, Ministry of Magic haters, Harry went back to the counter were Gabrielle was tidying the counter and Aveva looked as though she was asleep.

"It's a lot quieter this afternoon. This morning was the busiest we've ever been, probably due to the Ministry letting you-know-who get a head start." Gabrielle commented.

"Yeah." Harry replied and then asked, "So how long have you and George been going out?"

"Since a week after they had opened the shop. They were looking for help and I applied for the job. We hit it off immediately and was obviously, hired, and a week later George and me were dating. It's funny, when we met Fred was cheeky but nice, but now he is more hostile towards me. He said he didn't think that co-workers should date and disapproved, but I didn't think he'd be such a git about it."

"Don't worry about it. It's might just be a twin thing." Harry said gently, even though he didn't believe it. This made Gabrielle smile.

"I'm sure your right." And with that swept off to help a customer.

Three hours went by and the number of customers dwindled to none. It was only then that Ron and Hermione emerged from the back room with a slightly dishevelled look. Harry saw that Aveva, now awake, was giving him a big smile and wiggling her eyebrows at their appearance. Harry had to turn away to conceal his giggles, but not well enough.

"Harry what's so funny?" Ron asked, appearing at his elbow.

"Nothing. Just got hit by laughing powder. How have you been?"

"Oh, oh. Fine." Ron said awkwardly, looking very guilty. He then continued, obviously trying to change the subject "Say why don't go home now, eh?"

"Ok" And with that Harry, Ron, Hermione and Aveva left the shop and headed towards the fireplaces.

When they got near, Aveva quickly wished them goodbye and turned a corner to go down an alley. It was only five seconds after she'd gone that Harry realised they hadn't arranged to meet up again and so sprinted round the corner after her. When facing down the alley Harry couldn't see anyone in sight. He couldn't any nearby turn offs or places where she could be hiding. So Harry concluded she must have diapperated. As he was stepping into the alley to investigate further, Harry heard Ron and Hermione calling for him to catch up. Reluctantly he did so. When he met up with them he told them what had happened.

"That's not possible! The Ministry have set up wards to stop apperation near the shops for security purposes. This only confirms my suspicions about her." Answered Hermione.

"What _suspicions_?" Harry and Ron chorused.

"That she's a spy for you-know-who. You forget there's a war going on and he's going to send people after you. I didn't want to say anything in front of her and risk confrontation, but look at what she's done. She's got close to you very quickly, Harry. And what do we know about her? Nothing! And now she disappears, probably to report to him." Hermione explained, "Oh don't look so shocked. Now let's get back before she sends anyone after us" And with that stepped into the fireplace and disappeared.

"I don't care what she says. Aveva is not a spy." Harry muttered to Ron as they followed suit.


	5. Questions Questions

When they arrived back in Grimmauld Place, via the lounge chimney, they spotted someone sitting in one of the armchairs, face concealed by a newspaper

When they arrived back in Grimmauld Place, via the lounge chimney, they spotted someone sitting in one of the armchairs, face concealed by a newspaper.

"Hi, erm, Moody?" Hermione guessed.

"No, he's upstairs checking for intruders," answered the stranger, "or something along those lines." The stranger then proceeded to folding up the paper and placing it to the side. Now that the paper was out of the way it was clear that the stranger wasn't a stranger at all.

It was Aveva.

"What the hell are you doing here? And how did you get here before us?" Ron asked quite loudly.

"Don't you see? She's a spy for you-know-who" Hermione answered, whipping out her wand and pointing it at Aveva, "And she followed us back somehow."

All of this noise had alerted Lupin who came flying through the door with Mrs Wealsey on his heels. Harry got a strong feeling of Déja vú. He cast a worried glance at Hermione.

"Hermione put your wand down, before you get hurt." He pleaded.

"Not until we get rid of her."

"I don't like having wands waved in my face. This is your last chance." Warned Aveva.

"Don't threaten me." Snapped Hermione, who was now in a stubborn mood.

"You have no idea who you are dealing with." Aveva stated, "But fine, have your way."

In one sweeping gesture, she extended her arm, closed her fist and brought it straight back to her chest. In this instant Hermione's wand came flying out of her hand and landed in Aveva's lap. But how? Aveva hadn't touched it. She was at least a metre out of arms reach and without a wand.

Hermione made a grab for it.

"Oh, no you don't!" Commanded Aveva. And with that Hermione froze in mid-leap. She just hung suspended in the air. She couldn't move anything from the neck down. Above that, she was turning in all directions, horrified at what had happened. A sinister silence surrounded them.

Aveva now rose to her feet, absent-mindedly twirling Hermione's wand in her left hand. She smiled at her newly made piñata. Everybody else seemed too terrified to make a noise, including Hermione.

"Now that your quiet and I have your attention, I will explain." Aveva malevolently said, "I am a spy, not for Voldemort, but for the Order." Quickly wiping the sudden smile off Hermione's face. "So let me make this crystal clear. If you and I were to do battle, you would not stand a chance in hell of surviving. So in the future, I would recommend that instead of charging head first into something you clearly could not understand, that you turn to someone who could. Otherwise you may not live to regret it. Understand?" Hermione gave an angry nod, so Aveva continued, "Good. Now I'm going to let you down. You are going to go to your room and think about what has just happened. You can only come down when dinner is ready, which will be in an hour or so. Don't do anything stupid." With that Aveva snapped her fingers and Hermione fell to the floor. Aveva through her, her wand as Hermione marched angrily out of the room.

Harry looked at Mrs Weasley's and Lupin's terrified faces. Yes it was a pretty good trick, but surely they didn't think Aveva would…was capable of hurting Hermione?

Aveva too had noticed their faces, "Oh come on! She attacked me remember? I did the most non-violent and dignified thing I could think of. I wouldn't have hurt her. There wasn't any challenge."

Their faces softened a little. But only a little. So Aveva tried a different tack "Look I'm sorry to disappoint you with the lack of excitement. Hell knows, that you need some and the blood and mayhem would have certainly seen to that. But, you're going to have to put up with just the excitement of the boys and me helping with making dinner." Slapping Harry and Ron on the shoulders, she proceeded to direct them down the stairs toward the kitchen.

For the next hour or so under Mrs Weasley's command, they were set about peeling and washing vegetables, cooking and laying the entire table. During this time members of the Order arrived readily awaiting Mrs Weasley's fine cooking. When there was nothing left to do but get bored for ten minutes, Harry and Ron went to visit Hermione in her room. She just sat on her bed staring at the bed-knob.

"Fascinating, isn't it? How it's so round and shiny." Harry sarcastically commented.

"Oh, shut up! I can't believe you think that's funny." Hermione snapped.

"I see that you haven't calmed down yet. We'll just give your dinner to Buckbeak then." Harry coolly replied, "Well bye."

"NO. No, don't do that. I'm not angry, I was just thinking when you came in and then you made that stupid comment." Hermione begged.

"Thinking about what? How you want to shove the bed-knob down Aveva's throat?" Ron asked.

"Well, yes and about that bit of magic she did," Hermione replied,

"That was pretty impressive." Ron said smiling, knowing that this would irritate her.

"I wouldn't put it like that," Hermione, snapped, "It's just that to direct magic a wand is needed to focus and control the power. She didn't use one, not that I could see. And the magic she did was very advanced. Something that only a really experienced person, like Dumbledore, could do. But she's our age. It doesn't make sense." Frustrated, Hermione groaned and slumped and put her head in her hands.

"Look, why don't we go to dinner and ask her after? That is; if you're not going to attack her again." Harry asked.

"I feel so stupid for acting like that. I don't know why I did to be honest. Yeah let's go get dinner and ask her after. She'll be so full and sleepy she'll tell us anything." And with that proceeded to glide out of the room and down the stairs with Ron and Harry following in her wake.

When they entered the kitchen, they sat in the free space between Mad-eye and Tonks. Upon seating Harry looked around. Dumbledore was seated at the head of the table in a deep discussion with Aveva on his right. McGonagall was sitting on his left. Lupin was sitting next to her with Mad-eye on his left. Opposite Harry were the Weasley twins, next to Aveva. Down the table were the rest of the Weasleys (excluding Bill and Percy) and other members of The Order. Harry realised that he was staring and quite hungry and so turned his attention to the food on the table that was quickly disappearing.

After all the food had been demolished, all the children were shooed out of the kitchen into the lounge.

"Oh, great another meeting we're being left out of. Do they really think we're going to spill all their secrets to you-know-who? Come on. I want to know what's going on." Moaned Fred.

"They might be kicking us out just so we'd be curious about what's being said, when actually they're discussing weird medical problems they have." Replied George.

"Nah."

"We can stand here all night and theorise or you can do somthin' else like play chess with me" Ginny commented.

"All right. All right. We'll play. But we get the white pieces." So Fred and George went and got the chessboard and played two vs. one for the rest of the night. They succeeded in losing every time. Harry, Ron and Hermione on the other hand settled down in a corner to talk.

"Where's Aveva gone? I was going to ask her those questions." Asked Hermione looking around, "Did you see her come out or leave?"

"No. But she could have just disappeared like she did before." Harry answered.

"I suppose. But I really wanted to know."

"You're just sore that she's the same age as you but better at magic."

"It just doesn't make sense."

"Say, lets talk about somthin' else like how the cannons are going to win the trophy this year." Ron cut in.

"I hope so, but the tornadoes have a better chance" Harry replied.

"No way. They're going to win…." And so the conversation plunged into Quidditch with Hermione on the sidelines reading a book.


	6. Questions Questions part 2

The minute hand on the clock went through two cycles before the members emerged, some of which looked slightly disgruntled. Most of them proceeded to leave but Tonks and Mad-eye decided to stay for a bit longer. Fred and George of course decided to grab on to this opportunity to bombard them with questions about what had been said.

"Now, the reason we meet in a secret headquarters, in a locked room that nobody can eaves drop on, is so that people not in the order don't know what's been said. So we're not going to tell you a damned thing as it would be against the point! So stop asking!" Snapped Mad-eye.

"Could you at least tell us why everyone looked so miffed?" Fred pleaded.

"Stop nosing around or I'll blast that damned nose right off!"

"Please?"

"I warne…"

"The reason is" cut in Aveva, appearing out of the shadows, "that they've just realised that they are in a very dangerous fight and are unfortunately not immortal."

"Very funny. But I want Tonks or Mad-eye to answer my question."

"I think the real question is why are you still up at this hour when you have a business to run in the morning? Moody shopkeepers go out of business."

"All right. All right. We're going." The others took their cue to go, leaving only Harry, Hermione, Fred and Aveva in the room.

"Aren't you coming to bed too?" Asked Fred.

"I'm more of a night person. I always feel so awake."

"If you slept in my bed you wouldn't." Fred said stepping towards Aveva and wrapping his fingers around her arm with a weird glint in his eye.

"Is that because it's really comfortable?"

"No. It's because we could do something that would really tire you out."

"Fred!" Hermione gasped, but remained still with the others. The two continued, ignoring the gasp.

"Is that so? That would be very kind of you." Aveva said playfully.

"It would be my pleasure. We could keep each other warm in this cold house." Looping his arms around her waist. His face was only twenty centimetres away from hers.

"That sounds tempting but I'm afraid we might disturb someone."

"If you mean George I can get rid of him."

"Heavens no. I would hate to break up twins. I was thinking that he could join us."

"What?"

"It's just that twins share everything, seems a shame not to include me." Aveva moved her hands up his chest, caressing it as they went, until they looped round his neck bringing them even closer. The sight of this made knots in Harry's stomach. Why did he feel like this? He didn't know. Too make them worse Aveva then proceeded to glide her lips up his neck, holding them just above his chin and whispered;

"It's kind of a fantasy of mine."

"I bet it is. But I prefer one on one action, it's more…intimate. What do you say we finish with the chit chat and move this on upstairs?"

"Mmm, aren't you keen? But why bother to go upstairs when we can be down here? I don't want to wait!" Aveva emitted a soft purr before jumping on the shocked but aroused Fred, knocking him to the floor.

Aveva now kneeled astride the sitting Fred. "Doing it in public is so much more exciting and stimulating. Doesn't it get your heart pumping?"

"Yeah, but here. Now?"

"Don't you want me?" Aveva cooed, pulling away.

"Yes of course." Pulling her back to him with an embrace.

"Then prove it" Aveva teased.

Taking his cue Fred began to kiss her neck, pulling her down to lay horizontally on top of him. Aveva then glided her cheek up his toward his mouth. When her lips were almost on top his she moved them back in the direction of his ear and quite clearly for anyone to hear, said:

"You wish!"

She then proceeded to stand up and step away from her stunned puppet. When she was halfway toward the door to the kitchen she turned to look at the still grounded Fred. A cruel smile slithered on to her face as she gave a low laugh. She continued to do so as she disappeared into the kitchen.

A smile also appeared on Harry's face, but thankfully went unnoticed as he and Hermione continued to be forgotten as they all stared at the closed door.

Hermione finally broke the silence, "Fred, are you…"

"Fine" Fred snapped charging past her up the stairs.

Hermione sighed and pursed him up the stairs. Harry followed a couple of minutes later with a spring in his step, taking them two at a time.


End file.
